Tag: bath

architecture, Bath and North East Somerset, belvedere, eyecatcher, Folly, garden history, landscape, sham castle

A Sham Castle at Sunset

Posted on by Editor

The Folly Flâneuse is taking a short break to enjoy the last of the sunshine (hopefully). So a brief post this week looking at Ralph Allen’s wonderful Sham Castle, high above the city of Bath.

It’s a bit of a steep hike up the hill from the city centre, but one can’t get lost…

The folly was built by Ralph Allen of nearby Prior Park in 1762. A plaque records that it was restored and given to the people of Bath in 1921.

Sunset over the city, and a Montgolfier moment.

The folly is a highlight of the National Trust’s ‘Bath Skyline Walk’ which gives stunning views over the city.

Last of the evening sun on the beautiful Bath stone.

Thanks for reading. The Folly Flâneuse will be back with a full-length folly feature next week. Enjoy the changing of the seasons as summer mellows into autumn. 

Bath and North East Somerset, Folly, Monument, Tower

Ralph Allen’s Sham Castle and Monument, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset

Posted on by Editor
Image courtesy of www.goldmarkart.com

Ralph Allen of Bath, is well-known for his elegant Prior Park house and gardens and for the magnificent gothic sham castle, one of Britain’s finest follies, which he had erected on the skyline above the city in 1762. The sham castle and Prior Park remain popular attractions in Bath, but a quirky tower erected in Allen’s memory is sadly lost.